As Apple released the Apple Watch Series 11, Apple Watch Ultra 3, and Apple Watch SE 3 in September, I felt certain I was going to upgrade my Apple Watch Ultra this year to an Ultra 3.
With two generations of processor improvements, a brighter display, and high blood pressure detection, I was ready. My current device’s response time is becoming a tad sluggish (and that’s before adding all the new AI features with watchOS 26), and the battery has dipped considerably in longevity. I was ready to buy an Ultra 3.
Apple Watch Series 11’s battery life improvements are perfect for me
“While I certainly don’t need another watch that’s likely to cost $799 / £799 / AU$1,399, I do prefer Apple Watch over rivals for its adherence to the Apple ecosystem,” I said in September.
“It really does ‘just work’ for me, and while I’m not running any marathons or competing in triathlons, I do need the longer battery life afforded by the Ultra line to monitor an ongoing heart condition overnight.”
Except, uh, now I don’t. The heart condition is still there (sadly), but the Apple Watch Series 11 being bumped up to 24 hours of battery life pretty much takes the wind out of the Ultra 3’s sails for me.
In truth, 36 hours was never a huge requirement for me. I just needed to be able to work, work out, and track my heart rate overnight. Thanks to this boost, it’s just enough to get me through the day without needing to wear a feature-stuffed smartwatch which, let’s be honest, is overkill for most people.
Add in the fact that they share a processor, both have the new hypertension detection, the Series 11 looks sleeker, and it’s cheaper – it’d be a hard sell to justify going for the Ultra 3, especially as I wouldn’t consider myself an ‘Ultra’ athlete.
Am I going to run an ultramarathon, or head into the hills for a hike without taking my phone with me? It’s highly unlikely. If I’m honest, I bought the original Ultra for that improved battery life.
Prior to that, I was using my Series 7 daily and needing to charge it before bed, which just felt like a solution that would never last. Now that the Series 11 has better battery life to help with sleep tracking, I won’t have to worry about bludgeoning myself with the heavy titanium Ultra in my sleep, either.
My final concern was durability. I love my Ultra, because when I’m playing with my son I don’t feel like it’ll crack against a wall, or a climbing frame, or anything else. It’s comforting to know that Apple Watch Series 11’s display is 2x more scratch-resistant than its predecessor: I just hope the reality lives up to the claims.
After spending some time tooling around with Apple’s preorder system and adding a trade-in, I could end up getting an Apple Watch for under £180 (around $240) because the Ultra 1 seemingly holds its value.
I don’t need an Ultra model after all
If all of this sounds like I’m really down on the Ultra 3, I should stress that had it not been for the 24-hour battery life boost on the Series 11, I’d be locked in to buy the Ultra 3.
The slightly larger display on the Ultra 3 is also nice, and I appreciate that it’s apparently better to view at an angle. I’m also not ignoring the fact that its battery life just climbed to a massive 42 hours, but I think one whole day is the sweet spot for me, since I can charge the Series 11 at my desk.
It’s interesting to see the Series 11 encroach on its Ultra 3 cousin just a little, in the same way the gap between MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models is blurring. For a long time, I used a MacBook Pro because I’d had such poor experiences with early MacBook Air models. Now? I’m writing this on an M3 MacBook Air connected to all sorts of peripherals and a monitor as my main work machine. That’s something that simply wasn’t possible all that long ago.
The Ultra 1 debuted in 2022, the same year as the Apple Watch Series 8 and the SE 2, alongside the iPhone 14. A lot can change in a timeframe of three years, and I’m excited to see what an Apple Watch Series 11 can do over the next three.
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